"Compiled in response to emerging transnational perspectives in American Studies, this comprehensive and imaginative anthology brings together a rich variety of works of colonial literature from across the Americas, covering the period from first contact, through to settlement and the emergence of national identities, with an emphasis on the American Revolutionary period. The editors weave together a diverse collection of exploration and travel accounts, epic, occasional and meditational poetry, histories and narratives, ballads, journal entries, oral narratives, letters, and essays to illustrate the depth and breadth of American colonial cultures." "Most texts are presented in their original form from first editions. Alongside the standard English colonial texts, works from Native American, Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, Dutch and Italian sources are also included, some newly translated into English, such as Manuel da Nobrega's Dialogue for the Conversion of the Indians. The volume features a generous selection of texts from New Spain, New France, New Netherland, the Middle Atlantic region and the Chesapeake and Indies, which are rarely brought together. It includes works not usually collected, like Benjamin Church's Entertaining Passages Relating to King Philip's War, and gives a special emphasis to writing by women. These selections, extensively annotated, expand the range of what is usually considered "American" literature, and offer a unique comparative perspective." "This collection enables students and general readers to examine the phenomenon of colonialism across the Americas, both in general terms and in its specific consequences for Native American culture, and for European explorers and settlers."--Jacket.

Exploration and contact to 1600 -- Before Columbus: Native American cultures -- The Pre-Columbian world -- The origin myth of Acoma ... -- The Winnebago trickster cycle -- The origin of stories (Seneca) -- Pre-Columbian literatures of the Quiche -- Anonymous Quiche author (sixteenth century): Popol Vuh -- Excerpts from the Mayan Chilam Balam -- New World encounters -- from The letter of Columbus on the discovery of America / Christopher Columbus -- The history of the Indies / Bartolome de Las Casas -- from Book I, Chapter XXXVII: On the natural law of God in His world / Bartolome de Las Casas -- Book I, Chapter XL: Of the island which lay before them, and its people / Bartolome de Las Casas -- from Book III, Chapter LXXVIII: Of the labors of the Indians in Cuba / Bartolome de Las Casas -- from The letter of Pero Vaz de Caminha to King Manuel I, May 1, 1500 / Pero Vaz de Caminha -- from The voyage of Verrazzano, Florentine Noble in the service of Francois I, King of France, 1524 / Giovanni da Verrazzano -- from Chapter 12: The Indians bring us food / Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca -- from Chapter 15: What befell us among the people of Mahado / Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca -- from Chapter 22: The coming of other sick to us the next day / Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca -- History of the conquest of New Spain / Bernal Diaz del Castillo -- from Chapter 37: Of how Dona Marina was a great lady and daughter of great lords, and mistress over towns and vassals, and how she was brought to Tabasco / Bernal Diaz del Castillo -- from Chapter 88: Of the great and solemn Montezuma's great and solemn reception of Cortes and of all of us on our entrance into Mexico / Bernal Diaz del Castillo -- from Chapter 89: Of how Montezuma came to our quarters with many chieftains, and the conversation he had with our Captain -- from Chapter 90: Of how soon thereafter our Captain went to see the great Montezuma, and of certain conversations they had / Bernal Diaz del Castillo -- Chapter 91: Of the manner and appearance of Montezuma -- from Chapter 93: Of how we made our Church and altar in our quarters, and a cross outside our quarters, and other events, and of how we found the antechamber and chamber where Montezuma's father's treasure is kept, and how it was agreed that Montezuma should be detained / Bernal Diaz del Castillo -- from Chapter 95: Montezuma's arrest -- from Chapter 97: Of how when Montezuma was held prisoner, Cortes and all of our soldiers treated him with affection, and even allowed him to go to his temples / Bernal Diaz del Castillo -- from Chapter 107: Of Cortes and Montezuma -- from Chapter 150: The Siege of Mexico / Bernal Diaz del Castillo -- from Chapter 152: Of how the Indians took seventy-two live prisoners to be sacrificed / Bernal Diaz del Castillo -- from Chapter 156: Guatemoc's arrest / Bernal Diaz del Castillo -- Native views of the conquest of Mexico -- The omens described by Munoz Camargo -- A Macehual arrives from the Gulf Coast -- The story of the conquest as told by the anonymous authors of Tlatelolco -- The arrival of Cortes -- The massacre in the Main Temple -- The night of sorrows -- The Spaniards return -- The Tlatelolcas are invited to make a treaty -- The fighting is renewed -- Epic description of the besieged city -- The message from Cortes -- The city falls -- The people flee the city -- The fall of Tenochtitlan -- Flowers and songs of sorrow. from Account of things in Yucatan / Diego de Landa -- XV: Cruelties of the Spaniards toward the Indians / Diego de Landa -- XLI: Cycle of the Mayas. Their writing / Diego de Landa -- LII: Conclusion / Diego de Landa -- from The true history of his captivity, 1557 / Hans Staden -- from Part I: The true history and description of a country of savages, a naked and terrible people, eaters of man's flesh, who dwell in the New World called America ... : Chapter 1; from Chapter XVIII; Chapter XXII; Chapter XXIII; Chapter XXIV; Chapter XXVII; from Chapter XLII; from Chapter XLIII / Hans Staden -- from Part II: A true and brief account of all that I learnt concerning the trade and manners of the Tuppin Inbas, whose captive I was / Hans Staden -- Chapter XXIII: How they turn the women into soothsayers / Hans Staden -- from Chapter XXV: Why one enemy eats another / Hans Staden -- Chapter XXVIII: Of their manner of killing and eating their enemies. Of the instrument with which they kill them and the rites which follow / Hans Staden -- from The concluding address / Hans Staden -- Dialogue for the Conversion of the Indians / Manuel Da Nobrega -- from A briefe and true report of the new found land of Virginia / Thomas Harriot -- from The first part of merchantable commodities / Thomas Harriot -- Of the nature and manners of the people / Thomas Harriot -- from Voyages of Samuel de Champlain, 1604-1618 / Samuel de Champlain -- The voyages of 1604-7 / Samuel de Champlain -- New World identities: exploration and settlement to 1700 -- New Spain -- from The Florida of the Inca / El Inca Garcilaso de la Vega -- The Inca's dedication / El Inca Garcilaso de la Vega -- The Inca's preface / El Inca Garcilaso de la Vega -- from A letter to a King / Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala -- Royal administrators / Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala -- At Wayside Inns / Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala -- Spaniards / Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala -- Proprietors / Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala -- The fathers / Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala -- Negroes / Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala -- The King's questions / Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala -- History of New Mexico / Gaspar Perez de Villagra -- from Canto I: Which sets forth the outline of the history and the location of New Mexico, and the reports had of it in the traditions of the Indians, and of the true origin and descent of the Mexicans / Gaspar Perez de Villagra -- Canto XXI: How Zutacapan called an assembly of the Acoma Indians and the discord there was among them, and of the treason they made / Gaspar Perez de Villagra -- from Canto XXXIII: How Zutancalpo was found by his four sisters and of the end and death of Gicombo and Luzcoija / Gaspar Perez de Villagra -- The happy captivity / Francisco Nunez de Pineda y Bascunan -- from Book I, Chapter IX: The beginning of the captivity / Francisco Nunez de Pineda y Bascunan -- Book III, Chapter XXXI: a feast / Francisco Nunez de Pineda y Bascunan -- The misadventures of Alonso Ramirez / Carlos Siguenza y Gongora -- from Chapter I: The motives he had for leaving his country. Work and travel through New Spain: his presence in Mexico until leaving for the Philippines / Carlos Siguenza y Gongora -- from Chapter II: His departure from Acapulco for the Philippines; the route of this voyage and how he passed the time until captured by the English / Carlos Siguenza y Gongora -- from Chapter III: A brief summary of the thievery and cruelty of these pirates on land and sea until arriving in America / Carlos Siguenza y Gongora -- Number 48: In reply to a gentleman from Peru, who sent her clay vessels while suggesting she would better be a man / Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz -- Number 92: A philosophical satire / Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz -- Number 94: Which reveals the honorable ancestry of a high-born drunkard / Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz -- Number 145: She attempts to minimize the praise occasioned by a portrait of herself inscribed by truth, which she calls ardor / Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz -- Number 146: She laments her fortune, she hints of her aversion to all vice, and justifies her diversion with the muses / Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz -- Number 317: Villancico VI, from "Santa Catarina" / Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz -- Number 367: Loa for the Auto sacramental The Divine Narcissus through allegories / Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz -- History of the miraculous apparition / The Miraculous Apparition of the Beloved Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, at Tepeyacac, near Mexico City -- A Nahuatl song to Holy Mary / The Miraculous Apparition of the Beloved Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, at Tepeyacac, near Mexico City -- Records of the Spanish Inquisition, New Mexico, 1664 -- Excerpts from the trial of Bernardo de Mendizabal -- Letter on the Pueblo Revolt of 1680 / Don Antonio de Otermin. New France -- The earthquake / Jerome Lalemant -- from Description of Louisiana, recently discovered Southwest of New France, by order of His Majesty / Louis Hennepin -- His Majesty / Louis Hennepin -- Letter to King Louis XIV / Louis Hennepin -- From the manners of the Indians / Louis Hennepin -- On the fertility of the Indian country / Louis Hennepin -- Origins of the Indians / Louis Hennepin -- Physical condition of the Indians / Louis Hennepin -- Marriages of the Indians / Louis Hennepin -- The obstacles to the conversion of the Indians / Louis Hennepin -- Indifference of the Indians / Louis Hennepin -- from New Relation of Gaspesia / Chretian Le Clercq -- The sun wept in grief / Chretian Le Clercq -- "I am astonished that the French have so little wit" / Chretian Le Clercq -- Middle Atlantic: the Chesapeake and the Indies -- The generall historie of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles / John Smith -- from The third book, the proceedings and accidents of the English colony in Virginia / John Smith -- from A Description of New England / John Smith -- from A true and exact history of the Islands of the Barbadoes / Richard Ligon -- from A character of the Province of Mary-land / George Alsop -- from "A relation of the customs, manners, absurdities, and religion of the Susquehanock Indians in and near Mary-Land" / George Alsop -- Instructions to such as shall march upon discoveries into the North American continent / John Lederer -- Touching trade with Indians / John Lederer -- Manifesto concerning the present troubles in Virginia / Nathaniel Bacon -- The Declaration of the People / Nathaniel Bacon -- "The poor unhappy transported felon's sorrowful account of his fourteen years of transportation at Virginia in America" / James Revel -- New England -- New English Canaan / Thomas Morton -- from Book I: Containing the originall of the Natives, their manners & customes, with their tractable nature and love towards the English / Thomas Morton -- Chapter VII: Of their child-bearing, and delivery, and what manner of persons they are / Thomas Morton -- Chapter XVI: Of their acknowledgment of the creation, and immortality of the soule [sic] / Thomas Morton -- Chapter XX: That the Salvages [sic] live a contented life / Thomas Morton -- from Book II: A description of the beauty of the country / Thomas Morton -- Chapter I: The general survey of the country / Thomas Morton -- from Book III: Containing a description of the people that are planted there, what remarkable accidents have happened there since they were setled [sic], what tenents they hould [sic], together with the practise of their Church / Thomas Morton -- Chapter XIV: Of the revells of New Canaan / Thomas Morton -- Chapter XVI: How the 9. worthies put mine host of Ma-re Mount in to the inchaunted Castle at Plimmouth, and terrified him with the Monster Briareus / Thomas Morton -- from "A modell of Christian charity" / John Winthrop -- from Winthrop's journal: history of New England, 1630-1649 / John Winthrop -- Of Plymouth Plantation: 1620-1647 / William Bradford -- from Book I, Chapter IX: Of their voyage, and how they passed the sea; and of their safe arrival at Cape Cod / William Bradford -- from Book I, Chapter X: Showing how they sought out a place of habitation; and what befell them thereabout / William Bradford -- from Book II, Chapter XI: The remainder of Anno 1620: The Mayflower Compact ; The Starving Time; [and] Indian Relations / William Bradford -- from Book II, Chapter XIV: Anno Domini 1623: End of the "Common Course and Condition" / William Bradford -- from Book II, Chapter XXVIII: Anno Domini 1637: The Pequot War / William Bradford -- from Book II, Chapter XXXII: Anno Domini 1642: A horrible case of bestiality / William Bradford -- A key into the language of America / Roger Williams -- Directions for the use of the language / Roger Williams -- from Chapter I: Of salutation / Roger Williams -- from Chapter VIII: Of discourse and newes [sic] [Canonicus' speech] / Roger Williams -- from Chapter XI: Of travel / Roger Williams -- Letter: To the Town of Providence / Roger Williams -- from The autobiography of Thomas Shepard / Thomas Shepard -- from Several Poems / Anne Bradstreet -- "The prologue" / Anne Bradstreet -- "In honour of ... Queen Elizabeth ..." / Anne Bradstreet -- "The author to her book" / Anne Bradstreet -- "The flesh and the spirit" / Anne Bradstreet -- "To my dear and loving husband" / Anne Bradstreet -- "In memory of my dear grandchild Elizabeth Bradstreet, who deceased August, 1665, being a year and a half old" / Anne Bradstreet -- "Upon the burning of our house, July 10th, 1666" / Anne Bradstreet -- To my dear children / Anne Bradstreet -- The New England Primer (1683?) -- from Entertaining Passages Relating to Philip's War / Benjamin Church -- The Great Swamp Fight / Benjamin Church -- Reunion with Awashonks / Benjamin Church -- Tactics of Indian warfare / Benjamin Church -- Philip's forces routed near Bridgewater / Benjamin Church -- Philip killed / Benjamin Church -- The capture of Annawon / Benjamin Church -- Philip's regalia / Benjamin Church -- from Gods determinations / Edward Taylor -- The preface / Edward Taylor -- The souls groan to Christ for succour / Edward Taylor -- The joy of church fellowship rightly attended / Edward Taylor -- from "Poetical works" / Edward Taylor -- 4. Huswifery / Edward Taylor -- 6. Upon wedlock and death of children / Edward Taylor -- from Preparatory meditations / Edward Taylor -- Prologue / Edward Taylor -- First series / Edward Taylor -- Meditation 8: John 6.51. I am the Living Bread / Edward Taylor -- Meditation 40: 1 John 2.2. He is a propitiation for our sin / Edward Taylor -- Second series / Edward Taylor -- Meditation 43: Rom. 9.5. God blessed forever -- Phaenomena quaedam Apocalyptica [Phenomenon concerning the Apocalypse] / Samuel Sewall -- The selling of Joseph, a memorial / Samuel Sewall -- from Decennium Luctuosum [The captivity of Hannah Dustan] / Cotton Mather -- from Magnalia Christi Americana / Cotton Mather -- from The Negro Christianized / Cotton Mather. Middle Atlantic: New Netherland -- "The complaint of New Amsterdam" / Jacob Steendam -- "Bridal torch" / Henricus Selyns -- Middle Atlantic: Pennsylvania -- from "Positive information from America, concerning the country of Pennsylvania" / Francis Daniel Pastorius -- Letters to Tobias Schumbergius, 1693 / Francis Daniel Pastorius -- Native American views -- Powhatan's speech to Captain John Smith, 1609 -- Narragansett Indians, "Act of Submission," 1644 -- Mittark, Agreement of Gay Head Indians not to sell land to the English, 1681 -- Garangula, Speech to New France's Governor La Barre, 1685 -- The coming of the Spanish and the Pueblo Revolt: a Hopi perspective -- The Eighteenth Century -- Later colonial writers of the Americas -- from The Journal of Madame Knight / Sarah Kemble Knight -- New voyages to North America ... / Louis Armand de Lom d'Arce, Baron de Lahontan -- from Volume I: from Preface / Louis Armand de Lom d'Arce, Baron de Lahontan -- from Volume I: from Letter I: Description of the passage from France to Canada / Louis Armand de Lom d'Arce, Baron de Lahontan -- from Volume I: Letter II: Description of the plantations in Canada / Louis Armand de Lom d'Arce, Baron de Lahontan -- from Volume II: A discourse of the habit, houses, complexion and temperament of the Savages of North America / Louis Armand de Lom d'Arce, Baron de Lahontan -- from Volume II: from A short view of the humors and customs of the Savages / Louis Armand de Lom d'Arce, Baron de Lahontan -- from Volume II: from An account of the amours and marriages of the Savages / Louis Armand de Lom d'Arce, Baron de Lahontan -- from The secret history of the line / William Byrd II -- from The history of the Dividing Line / William Byrd II -- Journal of a voyage to North America, undertaken by the order of the French King / Pierre Francois-Xavier de Charlevoix -- from Letter III: Description of Quebec; character of its inhabitants, and the manner of living in the French Colony / Pierre Francois-Xavier de Charlevoix -- from Letter XXX: Voyage from the Arkansas to the Natchez. Description of the country. Of the river of the Yasous. Of the customs, manners and religion of the Natchez / Pierre Francois-Xavier de Charlevoix -- from Letter XXXI: Description of the capital of Louisiana / Pierre Francois-Xavier de Charlevoix -- from Letter XXXII: Reflections on the grants / Pierre Francois-Xavier de Charlevoix -- from The Annals of the Hotel-Dieu, Quebec / Marie-Andree Duplessis de Sainte-Helene --The image of hell / Marie-Andree Duplessis de Sainte-Helene -- from The correspondence of Madame Begon, 1748-1753 / Elisabeth Begon -- A journey from Patapsko to Annapolis, April 4, 1730 / Richard Lewis -- from Images of Divine Things / Jonathan Edwards -- "Apostrophe to Sarah Pierpont" / Jonathan Edwards -- Personal narrative / Jonathan Edwards -- from Some Account of the Fore Part of the Life of Elizabeth Ashbridge ... / Elizabeth Ashbridge -- El Lazarillo: A Guide for Inexperience Travelers between Buenos Aires and Lima (c. 1775) / Alonso Carrio de la Vandera -- Prologue and dedication to those treated herein / Alonso Carrio de la Vandera -- from Chapter XVIII: The indolence of the Indians. The opinion of the author. The name Concolorcorvo / Alonso Carrio de la Vandera -- from Chapter XXVI: A brief comparison of the cities of Lima and Cuzco. Characteristic aspects. The residents of Lima and Mexico. The dress of Lima women. Reasons for the vitality. Singular features, wedding beds, cradles, and household furnishings / Alonso Carrio de la Vandera -- from The Journal of John Woolman / John Woolman -- Travels in the Interior of North America, 1751-1762 / Jean-Bernard Bossu -- from Letter II / Jean-Bernard Bossu -- from Letter XVII / Jean-Bernard Bossu -- from Adventure in the Wilderness / Louis Antoine de Bougainville -- Rusticatio Mexicana / Rafael Landivar -- from The lakes of Mexico / Rafael Landivar -- from Processing of silver and gold / Rafael Landivar -- from Birds / Rafael Landivar -- from Sports / Rafael Landivar. Contested visions: revolution and nation -- Epitaph / Benjamin Franklin -- from The Autobiography [part 2] / Benjamin Franklin -- A short narrative of my life / Samson Occom -- "Bars fight" / Lucy Terry (Prince) -- from Letters of Abigail and John Adams / Abigail Smith Adams -- from The Adams-Jefferson Letters / Abigail Smith Adams -- Letters from an American farmer / J. Hector St. John de Crevecoeur -- from Letter III: What is an American? / J. Hector St. John de Crevecoeur -- from Letter IX: Description of Charles Town; thoughts on slavery; on physical evil; a melancholy scene / J. Hector St. John de Crevecoeur -- from Letter XII: Distresses of a frontier man / J. Hector St. John de Crevecoeur -- A charge, delivered to the African Lodge, June 24, 1797, at Menotomy / Prince Hall -- from Common Sense / Thomas Paine -- Introduction / Thomas Paine -- from III: Thoughts on the present state of American affairs / Thomas Paine -- from Autobiography [Declaration of Independence] / Thomas Jefferson -- Notes on the State of Virginia / Thomas Jefferson -- from Query VI: Productions mineral, vegetable and animal / Thomas Jefferson -- from Query XIV: Laws / Thomas Jefferson -- from Query XVIII: Manners / Thomas Jefferson -- Proclamations and letters / Toussaint L'Ouverture -- from The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, Written by Himself / Olaudah Equiano -- "Desultory thoughts upon the utility of encouraging a degree of self-complacency, especially in female bosoms" / Judith Sargent Murry -- "The rising glory of America" / Philip Freneau -- "A political litany" / Philip Freneau -- "George the Third's soliloquy" / Philip Freneau -- "To Sir Toby" / Philip Freneau -- "Liberty further extended: or free thoughts on the illegality of slave-keeping" / Lemuel Haynes -- from Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral / Phillis Wheatley -- "To Maecenas" / Phillis Wheatley -- "To the University of Cambridge, in New England" / Phillis Wheatley -- "On being brought from Africa to America" / Phillis Wheatley -- "On the death of the Rev. Mr. George Whitefield" / Phillis Wheatley -- "To the Right Honourable William, Earl of Dartmouth, His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for North America, &c." / Phillis Wheatley -- "A farewell to America. To Mrs. S.W." / Phillis Wheatley -- Letter to Samson Occom / Phillis Wheatley -- Extant poem not included in Poems, 1773 / Phillis Wheatley -- "America" / Phillis Wheatley -- from Alcuin Part I / Charles Brockden Brown.